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G3199 · Greek · New Testament
μέλω
melō
Verb
to be a care, to concern oneself

Definition

To be of concern, to matter, to care about — an impersonal verb used to ask whether someone genuinely cares. Appears in some of Scripture's most emotionally raw moments.

Usage & Theological Significance

'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?' (Mark 4:38) is the universal human cry — does God care about my suffering? The disciples' question in the storm is every person's question in crisis. Jesus' response is not words but action: He stills the storm. Peter later answers the question definitively: 'Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you' (1 Pet 5:7). The cross is the ultimate proof that God cares.

Key Bible Verses

Mark 4:38 Teacher, do you not care [melō] that we are perishing?
John 10:13 He is a hired hand and cares [melō] nothing for the sheep.
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares [melō] for you.
1 Corinthians 9:9 Is it for oxen that God is concerned [melō]?
John 12:6 He said this, not because he cared [melō] about the poor, but because he was a thief.

Related Words

External Resources

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